Valve for core drills



May 30, 1939- A. c. CTLAND ET Al. 2,160,305

v VALVE FOR CORE QRILLS original Filed Jan. 14, 1956 fal Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT vvOFFlCE VALVE FOR CORE DRILLS Calif., a corporation of California Original application January 14, 1936, Serial No. 59,076, now Patent No. 2,089,482, dated August 937. Divided and this application July 6,

193 Serial No. 88,991

'4 Claims.

This invention relates to a valve and relates more particularly to a valve for use on the core receiving barrel of a core drill. A general object of the invention is to provide a. practical dependable and improved valve for a core barrel.

Another obje-ct of this invention is to provide a valve for a core barrel that embodies a replaceable valve seat dependably locked against loss or displacement.

Another ob'ject of this invention is to provide a valve for a core barrel embodying a threaded valve seat and simple, dependable means for positively locking the valve seat in place.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve of the character mentioned in which the means for locking the valve seat against displacement may also serve to prevent large objects from entering the valve seat and from interfering with the operation of the valve.

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve of the character mentioned that is very simple and inexpensive.

The various objects and features of our invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description oi a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation oi a typical core drill embodying the valve of the present invention with a portion broken away to illustrate the Valve in side elevation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal detailed sectional view of the valve being a *View taken as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 3--3 on Fig, 2 and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the valve seat removed from the body of the valve.

'I'his application is a division of our co-pending application entitled Core drill construction, Serial No. 59,076, led January 14, 1936, which has matured into Patent No. 2,089,482, granted August 10, 1937.

` The valve provided by the present invention is adapted to be embodied in well core drills of various types and designs. In the following detailed description we will describe the valve as embodied in a more or less typical rotary core drill for use in the rotary method of well drilling. It is to be understood that the invention is not to be construed as limited or restricted to the specific form or application about to be described, but that it is to betaken as including any features or modifications that may fall within the scope of the claims.

The typical core drill illustrated in the drawing includes `an outer barrel Ill carrying a suitable bit head Ila. The cutting head IIa is secured to the lower end of the barrel i6 by a suitable sub il. 'I'he typical head I Ia has a plurality oi' spaced cutting blades I8 for making an annular cut in the earth formation to leave an upstanding core. A sub or connecting member l5 is provided on the upper end of the barrel IQ and has a. threaded pin I6 for facilitating the connection ofthe drill with a tubular drilling string. An inner barrel I I is arranged longitudinally within the outer b-arrel I0 to receive the core cut or formed by the head I8. A thickened portion or collar 26 is secured to the upper end of the inner barrel II by welding or the like. The inner bar-l rel II extends centrally through the outer barrel it with substantial clearance to leave an annular fluid passage 2l for the circulation iluid or rotary mud pumped downwardly through the drilling string. The fluid passed downwardly through the annular passage 2I discharges from ports i9 in the bit head lla to cool the bit head, to provide proper turbulence in the well and to perform other functions. In accordance with the rotary method of well drilling circulation iluid or rotary mud is pumped downwardly through the drilling string under comparatively high pressure and flows downwardly through the passage 2I in the outer barrel I0 to discharge at the bit head Ila.

The improved valve of the present invention includes, generally, a cage or body 22, means it removably securing the body 22 to the inner barrel II, a removable valve seat 3G in the body 22, means i3 for locking the valve seat 3u against displacement, and a valve 34 for cooperating with the seat 30.

The valve body 22 is provided at the upper end of the inner barrel il to carry the valve seat I3 and to provide a cage for the valve 3d. The lower portion of the body 22 is cylindrical to fit within the collar 2S of the inner barrel II. The upper portion of the body 22 projects upwardly beyond the upper end of the collar 2B. The body 22 has an annular downwardly facing shoulder 24 which may seat downwardly against the upper end of the collar 2li. `A central socket or opening 25 extends upwardly in the body 22 from its lower end and is in communication with-the interior of the inner barrel II. The upper end of the bodyV 22 is preferably hemispherical to eiiectivel'y divert the downwardly flowing circulation fluid discharged into the outer barrel I0. A Valve chamber 26 is formed in the upper projecting portion of the body 22. Circumferentially spaced lateral ports 21 extend through the wall of the body 22 to have communication with the chamber 26. In accordance with the invention the valve body 22 is provided with a central opening 28 connecting the opening 25 with the chamber 26. The opening 2B is of less diameter than the opening 25 and the chamber 26.

The means I4 for removably securing the valve body 22 to the inner barrel II is fully described and claimed in our co-pending application referred to above. The means I4 includes a plurality of latches 35 carried by the body 22 to cooperate with the collar 20. The upper ends of the latches 35 are pivotally connected with the valve body 22 above the collar 2U. Spaced webs 3S are provided on the valve body 22 between its ports 21 and the upper portions of the latches 35 project between the spaced webs 35. Pivot pins 38 are carried by the spaced webs 36 to pivotally support the latches 35. Each latch 35 is provided at its lower end with a lug 39. The lugs 39 are provided on the inner sides of the latches 35 and are substantially cylindrical in transverse cross Section. Circumferentially spaced sockets 4I are provided in the valve body 22 and circuinferentially spaced openings 40 are provided in the wall of the collar 26. The openings 46 and sockets 4| are related to register when the body 22 is in the proper rotative position. The lugs 39 are adapted to extend through the openings 4I] into the sockets 4I to securely latch the valve body 22 to the collar 20 of the inner barrel II. The latches 35 are proportioned so that their outer sides have only slight clearance with the interior of theouter barrel IE] whereby the outer barrel serves to prevent the displacement of the lugs 39 from the openings 40 and sockets 4I. Thus the latches 35 cannot become freed or unlatched during operation of the drill and serve to dependably secure the valve body 22 to the inner barrel II.

The valve seat 39 is provided in the valve body 22 to be engaged or sealed against by the valve 34 to prevent the downward flow of the circulation fluid into the inner barrel Il. In accordance with the invention the seat 30 may be a simple, tubular member. The seat 30 is preferably hardened to resist the eroding action of the fluid and to be long wearing. The valve seat 39 is removably arranged in the opening 28 of the body 22. In the preferred construction the seat 3B is threaded in the opening 28. The seat 33 is of suilicient length to project downwardly into the body opening 25 when its upper end is above or flush with the lower wall of the chamber 26. Thus the seat 3) completely lines the opening 28. An annular seating surface 31 is provided on the upper end of the seat 30 to receive the valve 34. The surface 31 is provided at the upper inner corner of the tubular seat 30 and is concaved.

The means I3 for locking the removable valve seat 39 against displacement is a feature of the invention. The means I3 operates to positively lock the tubular valve seat 30 against unthreading from the opening 28. In accordance with the invention the means I3 includes one or more notches 3| in the lower end portion of the seat 39. The notches 3| are open at the lower end of the seat 3U and occur in the portion of the seat which projects downwardly from the upper wall of the opening 25. The` notches 3| are preferably flat walled or rectangular as illustrated in the drawing. The means I3 further includes one or more lock bars 32. The bar or bars 32 is or are provided to cooperate with the notches 3|. In the particular form of the invention illustrated in the drawing there are two diametrically opposite notches 3| and a single bar 32 is provided to cooperate with the two notches. It is to be understood that the invention contemplates the embodiment of independent lock bars 32 for cooperating with the individual notches 3|. The bars 32 are rectangular or square in transverse cross section to have effective cooperation with the walls of the correspondingly shaped notches 3|.

In accordance with the invention the bar 32 is secured to the valve body 22 so that its cooperation with the notches 3| locks the seat 30 against rotation andl unthreading. The opposite end parts of the bar 32 may be welded to the adjacent Walls of the opening 25 as illustrated at 33 in the drawing. The welding at 33 serves to rigidly connect the bar 32 to the body 22 so that the bar cooperating with the notches 3| securely locks the seat 33 against unthreading. Where a single bar cooperates with both notches 3| it extends diametrically across the open lower end of the seat 3i] and may serve as a strainer to prevent large objects from entering the seat 30 and from interfering with the operation of the valve 34. Thus the lock bar 32 may serve two functions, namely, to lock the seat 33 against loss and to Strain the fluid entering the seat, the former being the primary functionl of the bar.

The Valve 34 is provided to cooperate with the, 35

surface 31 to prevent the downwardly flowing circulation iiuid from entering the upper end of the inner barrel II to erode or wash away the core received by the inner barrel. In practice the valve 34 may be a simple ball valve or spherical member as illustrated in the drawing. The valve 34 is proportioned to properly cooperate with the surface 31 and is adapted to move upwardly in the chamber 26 under the action of iiuid forced upwardly through the seat 30. The valve 34 is adapted tc be inserted in the chamber 26 prior to the arrangement of the seat 30 in the opening 28 and when the seat 30 is threaded in the opening 28 it serves to dependably retain the ball valve 34 in the chamber 26.

During the operation of the drill the cutting head IIa operates to make an annular cut in the earth formation to leave an upstanding core which enters the barrel II from its lower end. Circulation iluid is continuously pumped downwardly through the drilling string to pass through the passage 2| and discharge from the ports I9. The valve 34 cooperating with the surfaces 31 serves to prevent this downwardly flowing fluid from entering the upper end of the barrel II and, therefore, prevents the eroding or washing away of the core. The core entering the lower end of the barrel II may trap iluid, cuttings, etc. in the inner barrel and as the drilling progresses the core displaces this fluid and material upwardly in the inner barrel lifting the valve 34 from its seat surface 31. Thus the valve 34 is adapted to open to allow the discharge of fluid, etc., trapped in the inner barrel.

The hardened valve seat 39 presents the iinished surface 31 against which the valve 34 may seat and seal. The bar 32 cooperating with the notches 3| operates to dependably lock the seat 3D against rotation and unthreading from the opening 28. Accordingly, the excessive vibrations to which core drills are usually subjected cannot cause loss or displacement of the valve seat 30 or the ball valve 34. The means I3 for locking the seat 3U against displacement is very simple and may be inexpensively embodied in the valve structure. When it is desired to replace the ball 34 or the seat 30 the Welding at 33 may be readily broken away or burned away with a suitable torch to free the bar 32 whereupon the seat 30 may be unthreaded from the opening 28. It will be observed that the notches 3| may receive a suitable turning tool for the purpose of threading and unthreading the seat 30.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of our invention, We do not Wish to be limited or restricted to the specic details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to ourselves any variations or modications that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A valve for a core drill having an inner barrel including a valve body having a fluid opening, means for removably attaching the body to the barrel, a valve seat threaded in the opening, a valve for cooperating with the seat, there being a notch in one extremity of the seat, and a member attached to the body and cooperating with the notch to prevent unthreading of the seat, the member extending across the opening to form a strainer therein.

2. A valve for use on the core receiving barrel of a Well drill including, a body to be applied to the barrel, the body having an opening, a tubular valve seat threaded in the opening, a valve in the body cooperating with one end of the seat, the seat having a notch in its other end, and a bar fixed to the body and extending transversely through the opening and cooperating with the notch to secure the seat against unthreading.

3. A valve for use on the core receiving barrel of a Well drill including, a body to be applied to the barrel, the body having an opening, a valve seat threaded in the opening and having a seat face on one end and having its other end portion projecting from the end of the opening, the eX- tremity of said projecting end portion having spaced notches, a valve for cooperating with the seat face, and a bar fixed to the body and cooperating with said spaced notches to prevent unthreading of the seat.

4. A valve for use on the core receiving barrel of a Well drill including, a body to be applied to the barrel, the body having an opening, a valve seat threaded in the opening and having a seat face on one end and having its other end portion projecting from the end of the opening, a valve member cooperating with the said seat, said proj ecting end portion having diametrically opposite notches, and a bar xed to the body and cooperating with the notches to prevent unthreading of the seat.

ALFRED C. CA'ILAND. JOHN H. HOWARD. 

